Book advances from Maha-linked firms paid RFK Jr $4 million

The US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, has taken in more than $4m over the last year in book advances from allies within the Make America Healthy Again (Maha) movement, a new report says. That money arrived from Skyhorse Publishing, whose owner, Tony Lyons, is a friend of Kennedy Jr and president of Maha Center, a non-profit that describes itself as “tackling America’s health crisis through education, investigation, innovation and action.” The New York Times first reported the advances on Wednesday.

Skyhorse is funding several upcoming books from Kennedy Jr, with the $4m figure covering projects that are still in development rather than books already sold. He has published The Real Anthony Fauci and The Wuhan Cover-Up with the publisher, among other works.

The Ethics Pledge

Kennedy Jr pledged in a 2024 ethics filing that he would not engage in writing, editing, marketing or promotional services for any of these books during his government service. The pledge applies to the books published by Skyhorse, including the ones named above.

The 2024 filing was reviewed by the Guardian. The $4m in question was paid over the last year.

Gifts From De Becker

The Guardian’s review of the financial disclosures revealed that Kennedy Jr received $126,500 worth of housing in Washington DC at a “vacation home” belonging to Gavin de Becker, a security consultant and ally of the secretary. De Becker also gave Kennedy Jr gifts, which included nearly $45,000 in roundtrip airfare to Greece and nearly $97,000 in roundtrip airfare to Fiji, where the Wall Street Journal reports de Becker owns a compound.

Politico reports that de Becker contributed at least $10m to Kennedy Jr’s Super Pac in 2024, with $9.65m eventually being returned. He has also published a book with Skyhorse Publishing titled Forbidden Facts: Government Deceit and Suppression About Brain Damage From Childhood Vaccines.

The New York Times quoted De Becker, who said “Bobby is among my closest friends in the world for many years, and I’m grateful to be able to host him anytime … He has hosted my family at his homes, he’s stayed at my homes, we take family vacations together every year, and did so for years before he was in his current job.”.

The Wife’s Payments

Cheryl Hines, Kennedy Jr’s wife, took in funds from Maha allies as well. She took on $210,000 in consultation fees from Maha Action, a non-profit advocacy group run by Lyons. These payments were listed along with her husband’s financial statements.

Official Response

An HHS spokesperson told the New York Times that Kennedy Jr “complies with all applicable federal ethics laws, regulations and financial disclosure requirements.” The spokesperson added that the secretary “works with HHS, career ethics officials to ensure that his financial interests, gifts, outside activities and other reportable matters are appropriately disclosed and handled consistent with those requirements.”

“The secretary works with HHS, career ethics officials to ensure that his financial interests, gifts, outside activities and other reportable matters are appropriately disclosed and handled consistent with those requirements.”

The Department of Health and Human Services, de Becker and Lyons have all been contacted by The Guardian for further comment.

The Critic’s View

Kedric Payne, who works as senior ethics counsel at the Campaign Legal Center, was quoted by the New York Times saying: “Lavish gifts to an official from major political donors don’t get the same benefit of the doubt as dinner from a former classmate … The public deserves full transparency about the nature of these gifts and any interests the donor has before the government.”

Payne argues that small courtesies between casual friends appear quite distinct when the person giving them has significant political influence. A favor from an old acquaintance carries one weight, while a favor from someone who gave $10m to the secretary’s Super Pac carries quite another.

What Comes Next

De Becker, Lyons and HHS have not yet replied to The Guardian’s requests for comment. Until their answers come in, it is impossible to determine whether Kennedy Jr has broken his promise.

The record shows that the secretary took in $4m in book advances from supporters inside the Maha movement, that he took $126,500 in housing and hundreds of thousands in airfare from de Becker, and that his wife got $210,000 from Maha Action. Every item was made public, and all of it came in while Kennedy Jr held his present office.

The public has a right to know whether the donor’s interests align with the secretary’s duties.

Once the answers start rolling in, the reply will be ready. When all the responses arrive, the whole picture will fall into place.

The public has a right to learn about the nature of these gifts and any interests held by their donors before the government acts on them, and Payne’s demand for that transparency is reasonable.

The man who handles the correspondence claims to abide by the rules. The evidence is laid out for all to see, and now comes the long pause while everyone waits.

Source material: “RFK Jr received $4m in book advances from Maha allies over past year,” The Guardian.

book advances · ethics pledge · HHS · Maha · RFK Jr · Skyhorse Publishing